Valve



Sept. 8, 1942. L. v. M CARTY 2,295,044

VALVE Filed March 30, 1940 M4110, gm 4% Liz Patented Sept. 8, 1942 VALVE Lourdes V. McCarty,

Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milwaukee Gas Specialty Company,

Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 30, 1940, Serial No. 326,895

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in valves and is more particularly concerned with the provision of a valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough to maintain the delivery pressure in the outlet of the valve constant regardless of variations of head pressure of the fluid supply at the inlet of the valve.

The valve of the present invention is particularly applicable for use in connection with gas appliances which are connected to a main or manifold as a source of gas supply. The head pressure of the fuel gas in the supply main or manifold frequently rises and falls so that gas beingdischarged at a burner head or other discharge means, issues at either excessive or deficient pressures, depending upon the head pressure in the supply main or manifold. This is highly disadvantageous for several reasons. For example, most burners are adjusted for a certain pressure and volume of gas delivery and if the pressure in the gas supply main or manifold rises and falls, the set adjustment of a burner head, for example, will not be proper for the changing conditions. This results in an excessive and ineflicient flame if the head pressure is relatively high or the flame of the burner may become extinguished if the main pressure head drops too low. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a valve between the gas supply main or manifold and the burner head or other member to maintain the delivery pressure and volume of gas to the burner head or other member constant to compensate for variation of head pressure in the main. While the valve of my invention is admirably suited for the purpose noted, it will be borne in mind that it is equally applicable for other purposes.

The primary object of my invention therefore is to provide a valve having means for maintaining the delivery pressure of fluid through a fixed discharge opening constant, regardless of fluctuations of the supply head pressures of the fluid at the inlet of th valve. More specifically, it is a further object of the invention to provide a valve having an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber, an intermediate chamber or chambers, and means cooperating with the intermediate chamber or chambers for maintaining the delivery pressure at the outlet of the valve constant.

A still further object is the provision of a valve of the character noted which is composed of a few parts and is economical to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating a specific embodiment of a valve constructed in accordance with the principles ofmy invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail vertical sectional view of the valve of my invention, certain parts being shown in elevation; and

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the valve of my invention employed with a gas burner.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown a valve housing I having a tapped inlet 2 and a gas main or supply manifold 3 threaded therein. The valve housing is provided with a second tapped discharge outlet 4, in which a conduit 5 is threaded. The conduit 5 is provided at its opposite end with a suitable spud 6 having a reduced discharge orifice 1.

The valve housing is preferably suitably bored at Ill to provide an inlet chamber ll communicating with the gas supply manifold 3. A counterbore l2 extends coaxially of the bore H) from the inner end thereof to form a suitableintermediate or control chamber I3. A second counterbore l4 extends coaxially of the first counterbore l2 from the inner end thereof to form an outlet chamber l5, which communicates through .the duct IS with the discharge conduit 5 and discharge orfice 1. The valve housing I is tapped at the outer end of the bore III to receive a threadedcover member l8 to close the outer open end of the bore. A double valve member 20 having a boss or lug portion 2| is suitably suspended within the intermediate chamber l3 by means of a tension spring 22, threaded or otherwise suitably secured at one end to the boss or lug 2|,

which spring is similarly secured at its opposite end to a lug or boss 23 preferably formed integral with a threaded stud 24. The threaded stud 24 is carried by the cover member l8 and may be provided with a kerf 25 for adjusting the position of the double valve member 20 within the main valve housing. The double valve member 20 is formed with a downwardly tapering portion 28 for regulating the area of an upper valve orifice 29 through which the inletchamber II and control chamber l3 communicate, and is further provided with a downwardly extending cone portion 30 for regulating the area of the lower valve orifice 3| through which the control chamber l3 and outlet chamber l5 communicate. The cone portion 30 and the tapering portion of the valve 28 may also be of curved configuration. The double valve member 20 is preferably made so that the intermediate effective valve area 30 is equal to the upper valve area 35, less the area valve member 2|! is of the orifice 3|. The double valve member is so formed that, when the valve is raised, the orifice 29 increases less than the oirifice 3|, and, conversely, if the double valve member is lowered, the orifice 3| decreases more than the orifice 29. The operation of the valve is as follows: I Fluid under pressure nters the inlet chamber H from the supply manifold 3 and the head pressure of the fluid, acting upon the area 35 of the double valve member 20, tends to close the double valve. Opposing this force, tending to close the valve, is the tension spring 22. The pressure in the intermediate chamber l3 acts on the effective cross-sectional area of the cone portion 30 of the double valve 20; and the force of the pressure in the outlet chamber l5 created by the restricted port 1 of the discharge nozzle 01- spud 6 acts on the area of the oriflce 3| of outlet chamber l5. It is the pressure in th outlet chamber l5 and duct I6 that it is desired to maintain substantially constant at all times. It will be understood that, if desired, a restricted orifice could be made directly in the valve body and it is not essential that the conduit 5 and spud i be employed for this purpose. The particular construction shown be employed in the illustrated application of the invention to a gas burner.

Assume, for purposes of illustration, that the head pressure in the supply manifold is known,

I spring 22 under correct tension, and the double valve is in properly adjusted position to maintain the desired discharge pressure in the outlet chamber i5 and duct It. Now, if the double valve is raised by some external means, more fluid will flow through orifices 29 and'3l, and the pressure in the outlet chamber IE will increase, but since the arrangement is such that orifice 23 increases less than the orifice 3|, the pressure in the intermediate chamber l3 will decrease. Since the effective cross-sectional area of cone member 3|! of the double valve 20 is greater than the crosssectional area 36 of the orifice of the outlet chamber IS, the resultant force decreases, tending to close the double valve member 23, causing the double valve member to assume its original position and the pressure in the outlet chamber I5 and duct It to assume its original value. It is believed to be obvious that if the above conditions are reversed, i. e., that the double valve member 20 is lowered by some external means, the double valve tends to open and thus restore the initial conditions.

When the valve is installed between the gas supply manifold 3 and a burner head, and the pressure in the manifold 3 increases, the double urged to closed position. Since the orifice areas 29 and 3| and tension spring 22 are designed to change with the correct ratios upon either an increase or decrease in head pressure as the valve closes, the force of spring 22 opposing the head pressure increases; and as the area of the lower orifice 3| decreases more than the area of the upper orifice 23, the pressure in the intermediate chamber l3 increases. This increased pressure in the chamber |3 acting on the effective area of the to open the valve 23. By properly balancing the spring 22 and forming the double valve member 2|! to proportionally regulate the areas 0! the orifices 23 and 3|, the increased closing force due to increased head pressure in the inlet chamber II can be balanced by the force of the spring 22 and the pressure in the intermediate chamber |3 acting upon the cone member 30, so that the is desirable when the valve is to cone member 33 tendsdouble valve 20 maintain the predetermined pressure in the outlet chamber l5, and consequently the delivery pressure and volume of gas flow through the discharge duct I will be substantially constant.

It is'to be understood that any desired ratio between orifices 29 and 3| may be obtained by suitably forming or shaping the double valve member 20, so that a substantially OOIlStJt outlet pressure can be maintained within a wide range of pressures in the'supply manifold. Since the tension spring 22 is part of the force resisting the head pressure in the inlet chamber II, it will be seen that there is some maximum value of head pressure when the pressure in the discharge chamber |5 will fall ofl. However, a spring of suitable strength may be designed for any purpose to whichthe valve may be put and can be designed to cover a wide range of variations in head pressures in the particular adaptation of the valve. It will be understood that the minimum value of the discharge delivery pressure at the port I, is the pressure of the fluid in the supply manifold less the pressur drop through the valve.

Referring to Figure 2, I have shown the valve burner head I. It will above description of be apparent from the the operation or the valve, that the gas issuing from the discharge nozzle into the Venturi tube 4| of the burner 40 will resuit in uniform burning of flame 42.

It is to be understood that devices other than the one illustrated may be constructed embodying the principles of the present invention, and that I do not intend to be limited to the precise construction shown since obvious modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising a valve housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and said outlet chambers, there being an upper valve orifice between said inlet chamber and said third chamber and a lower valve orifice between said third chamber and said outlet valve means for varying the eflfective cross-sectional area of said orifices, said valve means being movable responsive to increased pressure in said inlet chamber fordecreasing the area of said lower valve orifice at a faster rate than the area. of said upper valve orifice to maintain the pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant.

2. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising a valve housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and said outlet chambers, there being an upper flce between said inlet chamber and said third chamber and a lower valve orifice between said third chamber and said outlet chamber, and valve means for varying the eflective cross sectional area of said orifices, said valve means being movable responsive to reduced. pressure in said inlet chamber for increasing the area of said lower valve orifice at a faster rate than the area of said upper valve orifice to maintain the pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant;

3. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid chamber, and I valve orl-"' outlet chamber having a fixed fluid discharge orifice, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and said outlet chambers, said third chamber having an upper valve orifice and a lower valve orifice, a double valve member for varying the flow of fluid through said orifices, and resilient for said double valve member opposing the head pressure of said fluid in said inlet chamber, said double valve member upon an increase in head pressure in said inlet decreasing vthe area of said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than the area of said upper valve orifice and, upon a decrease in head pressure in said inlet, increasing 7 the area of said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than the area of said upper valve orifice, said double valve member and said resilient means compensating for variations inhead pressure of said fluid in said inlet chamber thereby maintaining the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant.

4. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, said outlet chamber having a fixed fluid discharge orifice, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and said outlet chambers and having an upper and a lower valve orifice, a double valve member disposed in said intermediate chamber, spring means fixed to said double valve member and said valve body for resisting the head pressure of said fluid in said inlet chamber, said double valve member upon an increase in head pressure in said inlet chamber decreasing said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice and upon a decrease in head pressure in said inlet chamber for increasing said lower orifice at a greater rate than said upper orifice, said double valve member and said spring means compensating for variations in head pressure in said inlet chamber thereby maintaining the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant.

5. A valve comprising a valve housing having an inlet port and a fixed outlet port, a bore in said valve housing forming an inlet chamber and communicating with said inlet port, a first counterbore in said valve housing forming an intermediate chamber, a second counterbore in said valve housing forming an outlet chamber and communicating with said outlet port, cover means for closing said bore, said bore and said first counterbore defining an upper valve orifice, and said first counterbore and said second counterbore defining a lower valve orifice, a valve member for regulating the effective area of said orifices, said valve member being movable responsive to an increase in pressure in said bore for closing said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice, and being movable responsive to a decrease in pressure in said bore for increasing the opening of said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice to maintain the pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant,

a valve housing having means I member disposed in 6. A valve comprising a valve housing havingan inlet port and a fixed outlet port, a bore in said valve housing forming an inlet chamber and communicating with said inlet port, a first counterbore in said valve housing coaxial with said bore forming an intermediate chamber, said inlet chamber and said intermediate chamber forming an up r valve orifice, a second counterbore in said valve housing coaxial with said bore and said first counterbor forming an outlet chamber and communicating with said outlet port, a cover member for closing said bore, a double valve said valve housing, said valve member being adapted to close said lowervalve orifice at a faster rate than said upper valve orifice and, converselygto open said lower valve orifice at a faster rate than said upper valve orifice, a spring fixed to said double valve member and said cover member, and means for adjusting the position of said double valve member within said valve housing.

7. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising a valve housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, said outlet chamber having a fice, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and, said outlet chambers, said third chamber having an upper and a lower valve orifice, and a double valve member adapted to close said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice and conversely open said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice, said double valve member being formed so that the portion thereof subject to the fluid pressure in said intermediate chamber is of an area substantially equal to the area of the portion of the valve member subject to the fluid pressure in said inlet chamber less the area of said lower valve orifice.

8. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid therethrough, comprising a valve housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, said outlet chamber having a fixed fluid discharge orifice, a third chamber intermediate said inlet and said outlet chamber, said third chamber having an upper and a lower valve orifice, a double valve member adapted to close said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice and conversely, open said lower valve orifice at a greater rate than said upper valve orifice, said double valve member being formed so that the portion thereof subject to the fluid pressure in said intermediate chamber is of an area substantially equal to the area of th portion of the valve member subject to the fluid pressure in said inlet chamber less the area of said lower valve orifice, and a spring fixed to said double valve member and said valve body, said upper and lower orifices, said double valve member and said spring being adapted to maintainthe fluid pressure in said outlet chamber substantially constant.

LOURDES V. MCCARTY.

fixed fluid discharge ori- 

